Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

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Charles Wesley Buvinger, M.D.

Charles Wesley Buvinger was born on June 12, 1832 in Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania. His parents moved the family to Dayton, Ohio in 1835 and there he spent his youth and early manhood. He received his initial college education at Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. After leaving college, he apprenticed and studied medicine in Dayton, Ohio for three years and received his Medical Degree at the University of the City of New York.

When the war broke out, he was practicing medicine in Holmes County, Ohio. When the rebel troops under command of General Kirby Smith, early in September 1862, threatened the invasion of Ohio and the destruction of Cincinnati, Charles answered the call from Governor. Tod for "Minute Men" or "Squirrel Hunters" to rush to the defense of Cincinnati. When the invasion did not take place, the "Squirrel Hunters" were released and returned home and later in 1863 they received certificates of service and a letter of thanks from Gov. Tod. Charles returned to his medical practice but soon gave it up and joined the Army as an Acting Assistant Surgeon (a contract doctor). He was assigned to the reinforcements under General McPherson, which left Jackson, Tennessee Oct 3, 1862 and Bethel, on the M&O Railroad, October 4, 1862 for Corinth, Mississippi, the day of second days fight at that place. Thus began Dr. Buvinger's active military career.

He was on General Hospital duty at Corinth and attending a number of the 80th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This resulted in them making a special request of the Chief of Hospitals that Dr. Buvinger be assigned as Assistant Surgeon to the 80th Ohio. In the meantime, in December 1862, Charles was ordered to proceed to LaGrange, Tennessee, with hospital fixtures, to assist in organizing the General Hospital there. While in LaGrange, he received his Commission as Assistant Surgeon from Ohio Gov. Tod, dated May 13, 1863, and he was ordered to report for duty to the Colonel of the 80th Ohio as Assistant Surgeon. He joined the regiment May 30th while it lay at Memphis, Tennessee. Dr Buvinger was later promoted to the rank of Surgeon and remained with the regiment until their muster-out at Little Rock, Arkansas on August 13, 1865.

Following the War, he returned to private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his wife's hometown. He married Emma Priscilla Hunter, June 29, 1865. They had four children. Dr. Buvinger continued to practice medicine until his death, at age 58, January 7, 1891.